Shloka 13
तदाप्रभृति पुण्या हि विपाशाभून्महानदी । विख्याता कर्मणा तेन वसिष्ठस्य महात्मन:,पूर्वकालमें विश्वामित्रके ही भयसे अपने शरीरको रस्सीसे बाँधकर श्रीमान् वसिष्ठजी अपने-आपको एक नदीके जलमें डुबो रहे थे; परंतु उस नदीके द्वारा पाशरहित (बन्धनमुक्त) हो पुन: ऊपर उठ आये। महात्मा वसिष्ठके उस महान् कर्मसे विख्यात हो वह पवित्र नदी उसी दिनसे “विपाशा” कहलाने लगी
tadāprabhṛti puṇyā hi vipāśābhūn mahānadī | vikhyātā karmaṇā tena vasiṣṭhasya mahātmanaḥ ||
Desde então, o grande rio tornou-se sagrado e passou a ser conhecido como Vipāśā. Ganhou tal fama por causa do feito extraordinário do nobre Vasiṣṭha: quando, temendo Viśvāmitra, amarrou o corpo com uma corda e entrou no rio para se afogar, o rio o libertou dos vínculos e ele tornou a emergir. Por isso, desde aquele dia, o rio foi celebrado como “Vipāśā”, o ‘sem amarras’.
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
A place becomes sacred through association with great virtue and extraordinary moral-spiritual events. The verse highlights how the renown of a holy river can arise from the righteous power (and lived experience) of a great sage, emphasizing that ethical-spiritual stature leaves lasting sanctifying influence on the world.
Yudhiṣṭhira recounts that Vasiṣṭha, terrified of Viśvāmitra, tried to end his life by tying himself with a rope and entering a river. The river, however, freed him from the bonds so he emerged alive. Because of this event, the river became famous and was thereafter called Vipāśā—‘the bondless one.’